Packaging material

ABSTRACT

A packaging material includes: a pair of clam shells; a plurality of welding portions provided at marginal portions of the pair of clam shells and welded to each other with a product contained between the pair of clam shells in a sandwiched state; and a cutout formed in a part of at least either of the pair of clam shells surrounding the welding portions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a packaging material and, more particularly, to a packaging material which can be easily opened and can prevent theft of packaged content by a noise generated when the package is opened.

2. Description of the Related Art

Clam shell packs having a structure including top and bottom clam shells made of a transparent plastic for containing products in a sandwiched manner are widely used as one packaging material for displaying products for sale while effectively allowing the contained products to be viewed from outside.

As anti-theft measures, clam shell packs according to the related art have been welded at substantially entire marginal portions thereof using an impulse sealer or ultrasonic waves (see JP-A-2001-287771 (Patent Document 1) and JP-A-2001-97444 (Patent Document 2)).

A configuration of a clam shell pack according to the related art will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a front view of a clam shell pack according to the related art showing an exemplary configuration thereof, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the clam shell pack according to the related art showing the exemplary configuration thereof.

In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a clam shell pack 1 is formed by a top clam shell 11 and a bottom clam shell 12. The top clam shell 11 and the bottom clam shell 12 are thin and flexible components molded from a plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride, PS (polystyrene) or PET (polyethylene terephthalate). That is, the shells are molded from a transparent plastic material.

The bottom clam shell 12 is formed like a flat sheet. The top clam shell 11 is formed with a containing section 11 a, a containing section 11 b, and containing sections 11 c. For example, accessories of a product are contained in the containing section 11 a. The containing section 11 b contains a product such as a portable audio player represented by, for example, the product named WALKMAN (trademark). For example, the containing sections 11 c contain earphones supplied as an accessory (earplug type headphones). The containing sections 11 b and 11 c are omitted in the illustration of FIG. 2.

The portable audio player and the earphones omitted in the illustration are contained between the top clam shell 11 and the bottom clam shell 12 along with a base sheet (not shown) which is provided to secure the player and the earphones in the containing sections 11 b and 11 c and which is formed to allow the accessories to be contained in the containing section 11 a such that it cannot be seen from outside. A marginal portion 11 d of the top clam shell 11 and a marginal portion 12 d of the bottom clam shell 12 are substantially entirely bonded to each other with the product and accessories contained. Thus, the top clam shell 11 and the bottom clam shell 12 are integrated. The bonding is carried out by heat-welding the hatched part using an impulse sealer or ultrasonic waves.

Hanging holes 11 e and 12 e are formed at top ends of the top clam shell 11 and the bottom clam shell 12, respectively, for hanging the clam shell pack 1 on a hook when the product is displayed for sale.

The product contained in the clam shell pack 1 is taken out by breaking the clam shell pack 1. Specifically, perforations 21 are formed on the top clam shell 11 and the bottom clam shell 12 around the containing section 11 a, as shown in FIG. 2. The buyer can take out the product from the clam shell pack 1 by cutting the shells along the perforations 21 with scissors 31 or the like.

As apparent from the above, it is difficult to open a clam shell pack without scissors or the like. That is, the marginal portion of a clam shell pack is substantially entirely welded to make it difficult to open the clam shell pack with hands, and the theft of the product can therefore be prevented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A buyer may try to open a clam shell pack by force with the hands immediately after buying the product regardless of an instruction requesting the use of scissors for opening the clam shell pack, and a buyer may suffer from an injury such as a cut finger in such a situation.

As a proposal for preventing a containing section of a clam shell pack from being broken when the clam shell pack is opened, JP-A-2004-51133 (Patent Document 3) has disclosed a clam shell pack which is only partially welded at a marginal portion thereof. However, in the clam shell pack disclosed in Patent Document 3, holes in the form of perforations are formed to surround the position of a heat-welded part of the pack. Since the clam shell pack can therefore be easily opened without making a loud noise, it is difficult to prevent the theft of the product.

Under such a circumstance, it is desirable to provide a clam shell pack which can be easily opened while preventing the theft of the product in the pack by a noise generated when the pack is opened.

According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a packaging material including a pair of clam shells, a plurality of welding portions provided at marginal portions of the pair of clam shells and welded to each other with a product contained between the pair of clam shells in a sandwiched state, and a cutout formed in a part of at least either of the pair of clam shells surrounding the welding portions.

The cutout may be formed on a side of the part surrounding the welding portions facing toward a section for containing a product.

The welding portions of the pair of clam shells may be configured in a concavo-convexo mating structure.

Perforations may be formed in another part of the clam shell surrounding the welding portions.

There may be provided an inner clam shell which is a clam shell contained between the pair of clam shells and which is formed with a containing section for containing the product.

The pair of clam shells and the inner clam shell may be molded in a shape in which they are integrally connected.

A hole may be formed on either of the pair of clam shells, and the other of the pair of clam shells may be welded to the inner clam shell at the hole.

According to the embodiment of the invention, a plurality of welding portions are provided at marginal portions of a pair of clam shells with a product contained between the pair of clam shells in a sandwiched state. A cutout is formed in a part of at least either of the pair of clam shells surrounding the welding portions.

According to the embodiment of the invention, a product can be contained while effectively displaying it. The packaging material according to the embodiment of the invention can be easily opened, and the theft of the product therein can be prevented by a noise generated when the package is opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a clam shell pack according to the related art showing an exemplary configuration of the same;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the clam shell pack according to the related art showing the exemplary configuration of he same.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an unfolded state of a clam shell pack according to an embodiment of the invention showing a configuration of components thereof;

FIG. 4 is illustrations showing a method of packaging using the clam shell pack;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are illustrations showing the clam shell pack in a packaged state;

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing an exemplary configuration that the clam shell pack has after it is heat-welded;

FIG. 7 is illustrations showing exemplary shapes of a cutout provided at a welding portion;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are illustrations showing an exemplary shape that a welding portion has after the pack is opened;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are illustrations showing another exemplary shape that a welding portion has after the pack is opened;

FIG. 10 is illustrations showing a method of mating welding portions for repackaging;

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the clam shell pack for explaining a method of opening the same;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the clam shell pack for explaining the method of opening the same; and

FIG. 13 is a side view of the clam shell pack showing an open state of the same.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [Exemplary Configuration of Clam Shell Pack]

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an unfolded state of a clam shell pack as a packaging material according to an embodiment of the invention showing a configuration of components thereof. The hatching in the example shown in FIG. 3 represent openings (holes).

A clam shell pack 51 is molded from a transparent resin such as PS (polystyrene), PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or recycled PET. Generally, the clam shell pack 51 is formed by a pair of clam shells, i.e., a top clam shell 62 and a bottom clam shell 63. A product is packaged by combining the clam shells with the product contained between them.

More specifically, the clam shell pack 51 includes an insert flap 61, the top clam shell 62, the bottom clam shell 63, an inner clam shell 64, and a guide 65. Those components are integrally connected at connecting sections 71 to 74 to form the clam shell pack.

The insert flap 61 is connected to the top clam shell 62 at the connecting section 71, and the flap has a hanging hole 81 provided for hanging the clam shell pack 51 on a hook to display the product for sale. When the product is packaged, the insert flap 61 is folded toward the back of the top clam shell 62 using the connecting section 71 as a hinge. At this time, an end portion 61 a of the insert flap 61 is inserted into an opening 103 formed on the bottom clam shell 63 which has been folded toward the back of the top clam shell 62 in advance.

The top clam shell 62 is connected to the insert flap 61 at the connecting section 71 and connected to the bottom clam shell 63 at the connecting section 72. In marginal portions of the top clam shell 62, round and convex welding portions 91 are formed to be heat-welded with welding portions 101 on the bottom clam shell 63. In the example shown in FIG. 3, nine welding portions 91 are provided at equal intervals on each of left and right marginal portions of the top clam shell.

Further, a slit-like cutout 92 is formed (processed) in a part of a region surrounding each welding portion 91. The cutouts 92 are formed on the side of the welding portions 91 facing toward a containing section 93. Details of the cutouts 92 will be described later with reference to FIG. 7.

In the middle of the top clam shell 62, a containing section 93 is formed to contain an inner clam shell 64 containing a product. The top clam shell 62 having the inner clam shell 64 contained in the containing section 93 is lapped on the bottom clam shell 63 by folding the bottom clam shell 63 toward the back of the top clam shell using the connecting section 72 as a hinge.

The top clam shell 62 has a hanging hole 94, which is associated with the hanging hole 81, at a top end thereof (on the left side thereof in the illustration). The top clam shell 62 also has holes 95 formed at a bottom end thereof (on the right side thereof in the illustration) to allow the inner clam shell 64 to be heat-welded at the same time when the top clam shell 62 and the bottom clam shell 63 are heat-welded.

The bottom clam shell 63 is formed like a flat sheet. The bottom clam shell 63 is connected with the top clam shell 62 at the connecting section 72 and connected with the inner clam shell 64 at the connecting section 73. In marginal portions of the bottom clam shell 63, welding portions 101 are formed to be heat-welded with welding portions 91 of the top clam shell 62.

The welding portions 101 are formed in a round convex shape which is one size smaller than that of the welding portions 91 such that they are covered by the convex welding portions 91 when the pair of clam shells is lapped. In FIG. 3, since the clam shell pack 51 is shown in an unfolded state thereof, the welding portions 91 are convex shaped, and the welding portions 101 are formed in a concave shape. Similarly, when the welding portions 91 is concave shaped, the welding portions 101 are formed in a convex shape.

At a top end of the bottom clam shell 63 (on the right side of the shell in the illustration), a hanging hole 102 associated with the hanging holes 81 and 94 is formed along with an opening 103 into which the end portion 61 a of the insert flap 61 is to be inserted.

The inner clam shell 64 is connected with the bottom clam shell 63 at the connecting section 73 and connected with the guide 65 at the connecting section 74. The inner clam shell 64 is formed with a containing section 111, a containing section 112, and containing sections 113. For example, accessories of a product are contained in the containing section 111. The containing section 112 contains a product such as a portable audio player represented by, for example, the product named WALKMAN (trademark). For example, the containing sections 113 contain earphones supplied as an accessory (earplug type headphones).

The portable audio player and the earphones omitted in the illustration are contained between the inner clam shell 64 and the bottom clam shell 63 along with a base sheet which is not shown. The base sheet is a component formed using a punching process to secure the player and the earphone in the containing sections 112 and 113 and to allow the accessories to be contained in the containing section 111 such that it cannot been seen from outside. For example, a product name, a POS code and the like may be printed on the base sheet, and the base sheet has holes which are associated with the containing sections 113 and the hanging holes 81, 94, 102, and 114.

The inner clam shell 64 having the product, the base sheet, and the like contained in the containing sections 111 to 113 is folded toward the back of the bottom clam shell 63 using the connecting section 73 as a hinge, and the shell is thereby lapped on the bottom clam shell 63.

A hanging hole 114 associated with the hanging holes 81, 94, and 102 is formed at a top end of the inner clam shell 64 (on the left side of the same in the illustration). Further, welding portions 115 to be heat-welded to the bottom clam shell 63 are formed at a bottom end of the inner clam shell 64 (on the right side of the same in the illustration) on both sides of the guide 65. A cutout 116 is formed in a part of a region surrounding a bonded part of each welding portion 115 where welding is actually performed. The cutouts 116 are formed on the side of the regions surrounding the bonded parts facing toward the containing section 111.

When packaging is carried out, the guide 65 is folded toward the containing section 111 of the inner clam shell 64 using the connecting section 74 as a hinge such that the guide becomes substantially perpendicular to the sheet-like surface of the bottom clam shell 63. The guide 65 is formed in such a length that it protrudes above the containing section 111 and that it can be accommodated in the containing section 93 of the top clam shell 62. Therefore, when the pack is opened, the buyer can easily remove the inner clam shell 64 from the bottom clam shell 63 by pulling the guide 65 protruding above the containing section 111 of the inner clam shell 64 even though they are welded at the welding portions 115.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the welding portions 91 and 101 have been described as having a round shape by way of example. However, the welding portions 91 and 101 are not limited to a round shape, and they may be formed in other shapes such as elliptic and square shapes.

[Example of Method of Packaging with Clam Shell Pack]

A method of packaging using the clam shell pack 51 will now be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a side view of the clam shell pack 51 shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 shows three states of the clam shell pack 51 to illustrate the exemplary method, i.e., a state of the pack with no product contained yet, a state in which the inner clam shell 64 is lapped over the bottom clam shell 63, a state in which the bottom clam shell 63 is lapped over the top clam shell 62, the states being shown in the order listed in top-to-bottom direction.

First, the guide 65 is folded perpendicularly to the unfolded state of the same as indicated by the arrow P1 using the connecting section 74 as a hinge so that it will extend along a bottom surface of the containing section 111 of the inner clam shell 64.

Next, the inner clam shell 64 is folded toward the back of the bottom clam shell 63 using the connecting section 73 as a hinge as indicated by the arrow P2 to lap it over the bottom clam shell 63 with a product, the base sheet, and so on contained in the containing sections 111 to 113. At this time, the product, base sheet, and so on are contained between the inner clam shell 64 and the bottom clam shell 63.

Thereafter, the bottom clam shell 63 is folded toward the back of the top clam shell 62 using the connecting section 72 as a hinge as indicated by the arrow P3 to lap it over the top clam shell 62 such that the inner clam shell 64 is contained in the containing section 93 of the top clam shell 62. At this time, the inner clam shell 64 having the product contained therein is contained between the top clam shell 62 and the bottom clam shell 63.

After the top clam shell 62 and the bottom clam shell 63 are thus combined, the insert flap 61 is folded toward the back of the top clam shell 62 using the connecting section 71 as a hinge as indicated by the arrow P4. At this time, the end portion 61 a of the insert flap 61 is inserted into the opening 103 formed on the bottom clam shell 63 which is folded toward the back of the top clam shell 62.

A product is contained and packaged in the clam shell pack 51 as thus described.

[Example of Clam Shell Pack in Packaged State]

FIGS. 5A and 5B are illustrations of the clam shell pack 51 with a product packaged therein. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the clam shell pack 51 with a product contained or packaged therein, and FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the clam shell pack 51 taken from the bottom side thereof in its attitude shown in FIG. 5A. In the illustration in FIG. 5A, the interior of the clam shell pack 51 is omitted, and the cutouts 92 provided in parts of the regions surrounding the welding portions 91 are also omitted.

After a product is packaged as thus described, the eighteen welding portions 91 and welding portions 101 provided on the clam shell pack 51 are heat-welded using an impulse sealer or ultrasonic waves, and the top clam shell 62 and the bottom clam shell 63 are integrated as a result of the heat welding. At the same time, the welding portions 115 of the inner clam shell 64 are heat-welded to the bottom clam shell 63 at the holes 95 formed on the top clam shell 62.

[Example of Heat-Welded Clam Shell Pack]

FIG. 6 is a front view of the clam shell pack 51 showing an exemplary configuration that the clam shell pack has after it is heat-welded. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the hatching represents bonded parts which have been heat-welded.

In the example shown on FIG. 6, the nine welding portions 91 on the left side of the marginal portion of the top clam shell 62 are welded to welding portions 101 associated with them, and the nine welding portions 91 on the right side of the marginal portion of the top clam shell 62 are welded to another group of welding portions 101 associated with them. The cutouts 92 are formed in parts of the regions surrounding the welding portions 101 (on the side of the regions facing toward the containing section 93).

When a buyer holds the top clam shell 62 and applies a force to remove it from the bottom clam shell 63 in order to open the clam shell pack 51, some parts of the marginal portion of the top clam shell 62 are torn or broken by the force that is guided by the cutouts 92. As a result, the top clam shell 62 can be easily removed from the bottom clam shell 63, and the theft of the product can be prevented because a loud noise is generated when the shell is broken.

The welding portions 115 formed on the inner clam shell 64 are welded to the bottom clam shell 63 at the holes 95 provided at the bottom end of the top clam shell 62. Thus, the product can be prevented from coming out of the pack when the top clam shell 62 is removed from the bottom clam shell 63.

Further, the welding portions 115 are also accompanied by the cutouts 116 formed in parts of the regions surrounding the welded positions (on the side of the regions facing toward the containing section 93). Therefore, when the buyer pulls the guide 65 after removing the inner clam shell 64 from the bottom clam shell 63, parts of the inner clam shell 64 (welding portions 115) associated with the cutouts are torn and broken by the pull that is guided by the cutouts 116. Thus, the inner clam shell 64 can be easily removed from the bottom clam shell 63, and the theft of the product can be prevented because a great noise is generated when the shell is broken.

As thus described, the clam shell pack 51 can be opened to take out the product from the clam shell pack 51.

[Exemplary Shapes of Cutouts]

FIG. 7 is illustrations showing exemplary shapes of the cutouts provided at the welding portions 91. In the examples shown in FIG. 7, a welding portion 101 of the bottom clam shell 63 is formed one size smaller than the associated welding portion 91 of the top clam shell 62. The welding portions 91 and 101 are formed in a round convex shape, and they are heat-welded to each other in a bonding position (hatched part) in the middle thereof.

FIG. 7 shows five types of exemplary cutouts 92 a to 92 e. The examples in FIG. 7 are shown on an assumption that the containing section 93 is located on the left of the welding portion 91.

The cutout 92 a is formed to extend in the form of a semicircle around the welding portion 91 on the side the portion facing toward the containing section 93. The cutout 92 b is formed to extend slightly further than the semicircle on the side of the welding portion 91 facing toward the containing section 93. That is, the length of the cutout 92 b is slightly greater than the length of the cutout 92 a.

The cutout 92 c is formed to follow the semicircular course around the welding portion 91 on the side of the welding portion facing toward the containing section 93, and the ends of the cutout 92 c extend slightly outward of the semicircular course.

The cutout 92 d is formed to extend to follow about ⅔ of an imaginary square shape surrounding the welding portion 91 on the side of the welding portion facing toward the containing section 93.

The cutout 92 e is formed to extend substantially halfway an imaginary circle surrounding the bonded part of the welding portion 91. Perforation-like holes (hereinafter referred to as perforations) 151 are formed along the imaginary circle surrounding the bonded part of the welding portion 91 except where the cutout 92 e is formed. When the cutout 92 e is used, the welding portions 91 and 101 are formed in a concave-convexo mating structure to allow the clam shell pack 51 to be reused for packaging. Details of the cutout 92 e will be described later with reference to FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10.

The shape and length of the cutouts 92 are not limited to the examples shown in FIG. 7, and the cutouts may be formed in various shapes and lengths in consideration to balance between the ease of opening the pack and the level of the noise generated when the pack is opened.

[Exemplary Shapes of Welding Portion of Opened Pack]

FIGS. 8A and 8B are illustrations showing an exemplary shape into which a welding portion having a cutout 92 a is changed when the clam shell pack is opened.

As shown in FIG. 8A, when the pack is opened, the top clam shell 62 is broken at parts 141 near the marginal edge thereof by a force guided by the cutout 92 a. Since the cutout 92 a is formed on the side of the shell facing toward the containing section 93, the breakage of the containing section 93 can be prevented. The pack can be easily opened, and the broken positions can be expected in advance to some extent. Therefore, injuries can be prevented when the pack is opened. Further, since no perforation is provided other than the cutouts 92 a, a loud noise is generated when the shell is broken. It is therefore possible to prevent the product from being stolen by breaking the clam shell pack 51.

As shown in FIG. 8B, a part 142 surrounded by the cutout 92 a and the broken parts 141 near the marginal edge is cut off from the top clam shell 62 along with the welding portion 91. The part 142 including the welding portion 91 remains on the bottom clam shell 63 because it is welded to the welding portion 101. In this case, since the parts 142 broken as thus described will not be scattered, they will not become wastes to be disposed.

While the example shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B has been described on an assumption that the cutout 92 a is used, the description also applies to the cutouts 92 b to 92 d.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are illustrations showing an exemplary shape into which a welding portion having a cutout 92 e is changed when the pack is opened.

In the example shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a cutout 92 e and perforations 151 are formed in the form of a circle surrounding a bonded part inside a welding portion 91. In this case, when the pack is opened, the top clam shell 62 is cut along the perforations 151, and an opening 171 is formed at the welding portion 91 as shown in FIG. 9A. Therefore, although a noise generated when the clam shell pack in this example is opened is smaller than that in the example shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the breakage of the top clam shell 62 can be prevented.

Specifically, when the pack is opened, a circular bonded part surrounded by the cutout 92 e and the perforations 151 is cut off from the top clam shell 62 as shown in FIG. 9B to form the opening 171 on the top clam shell 62. At this time, the bonded part 161 thus cut off remains substantially on the bonded part of the welding portion of the bottom clam shell 63.

When the cutout 92 e is used, the welding portions 91 and 101 are provided with convex features 181 (under) and 182 respectively, and a locking mechanism having a concavo-convexo mating structure is therefore provided between the welding portions 91 and 101. Since the mating structure between the welding portions remains effective even though the opening 171 is formed at the welding portion 91 and the bonded part 161 of the welding portion 91 remains on the welding portion 101. Therefore, the welding portions 91 and 101 can be mated with each other again as indicated by the arrow. That is, the clam shell pack 51 can be reused for packaging.

The welding portions are formed with a concavo-convexo mating structure as thus described to allow the shell pack to be reused for packaging. As a result, the containing sections can be formed in any shape suitable for a product without restrictions on the shape of the containing sections which can be encountered when the containing sections are to be provided with a mating structure.

The example shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may be implemented by forming the cutouts 92 e only without forming the perforations 151.

[Example of Unpacking of Clam Shell Pack]

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the clam shell pack 51 taken behind the same after welding is finished. In the example shown in FIG. 11, the end portion 61 a of the insert flap 61 is inserted in the opening 103 formed on the bottom clam shell 63.

When the pack is opened, as shown in FIG. 12, the buyer pulls out the end portion 61 a of the insert flap 61 from the opening 103 and holds each of the insert flap 61 and the top clam shall 62 with either of his or her hands to pull then in opposite directions. For example, the insert flap 61 is pulled out in the direction indicated by the arrow P5.

Marginal portions of the top clam shell 62 are broken with a loud noise by the pulling force which is guided by the cutouts 92 formed to surround the welding portions 91. As a result, the top clam shell 62 and the bottom clam shell 63 which are welded to each other can be easily opened as shown in FIG. 13, and the theft of the product can be prevented by the noise generated when the shell is broken.

Further, as indicated by the arrow P6, the guide 65 extends substantially perpendicularly to the bottom clam shell 63 and extends along the bottom surface of the containing section 111 to a height above the containing section 111. Therefore, the inner clam shell 64 can be easily removed from the bottom clam shell 63 by pulling the guide 65 with the bottom clam shell 63 held with the other hand.

At this time, parts of the welding portions 115 formed at the inner clam shell 64 are also broken with a loud noise by the pull which is guided by the cutouts 116. Thus, the product can be taken out from the inner clam shell 64, and the theft of the product can be prevented by the noise generated when the welding portions are broken.

In the above description, nine each of welding portions 91 and 101 are provided on each of left and right sides of the containing section 93. However, there is no limitation on the number, size, position, and spacing of the welding portions, and any configuration may be employed depending on the product to be contained and the level of the noise to be generated when the pack is opened. Although the welding portions are disposed at equal intervals in the above description, it is not essential to dispose them at equal intervals.

Although the cutouts 92 are provided at marginal portions of the top clam shell 62 surrounding the welding portions 91 in the above-described example, cutouts may alternatively be provided at marginal portions of the bottom clam shell 63 surrounding the welding portions 101. Further, cutouts may alternatively be provided at parts of both clam shells surrounding the welding portions.

Although the inner clam shell 64 is provided in the above-described example, the invention may be implemented without the inner clam shell 64.

The present application contains subject matter related to that disclosed in Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2009-012028 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Jan. 22, 2009, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. 

1. A packaging material comprising: a pair of clam shells; a plurality of welding portions provided at marginal portions of the pair of clam shells and welded to each other with a product contained between the pair of clam shells in a sandwiched state; and a cutout formed in a part of at least either of the pair of clam shells surrounding the welding portions.
 2. A packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the cutout is formed on a side of the part surrounding the welding portions facing toward a section for containing a product.
 3. A packaging material according to claim 2, wherein the welding portions of the pair of clam shells are configured in a concavo-convexo mating structure.
 4. A packaging material according to claim 3, wherein perforations are formed in another part of the clam shell surrounding the welding portions.
 5. A packaging material according to claim 2, further comprising an inner clam shell which is a clam shell contained between the pair of clam shells and which is formed with a containing section for containing the product.
 6. A packaging material according to claim 5, wherein the pair of clam shells and the inner clam shell are molded in a shape in which they are integrally connected.
 7. A packaging material according to claim 6, wherein a hole is formed on either of the pair of clam shells; and the other of the pair of clam shells is welded to the inner clam shell at the hole. 